IMDb > The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner (1962)
The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner
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The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner (1962) More at IMDbPro »


Overview

User Rating:
7.7/10   2,117 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?

Down 5% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.

Director:

Tony Richardson

Writers:

Alan Sillitoe (screenplay)
Alan Sillitoe (short story)

Contact:

View company contact information for The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner on IMDbPro.

Release Date:

8 October 1962 (USA) more

Genre:

Drama | Sport more

Plot:

A rebellious youth, sentenced to a boy's reformatory for robbing a bakery, rises through the ranks of... more | full synopsis

Awards:

Won BAFTA Film Award. Another 1 win more

User Comments:

The Loveliness of the Black & White Cinema more (34 total)


Cast

  (Credited cast)
Michael Redgrave ... Ruxton Towers Reformatory governor
Tom Courtenay ... Colin Smith
Avis Bunnage ... Mrs. Smith
Alec McCowen ... Brown, House Master
James Bolam ... Mike
Joe Robinson ... Roach
Dervis Ward ... Detective
Topsy Jane ... Audrey
Julia Foster ... Gladys
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Ray Austin ... Craig
John Brooking ... Green
John Bull ... Ronalds
James Cairncross ... Mr. Jones
Peter Duguid ... Doctor
Raymond Dyer ... Gordon, Mrs. Smith's Boyfriend
Frank Finlay ... Booking Office Clerk
James Fox ... Willy Gunthorpe - Ranley School Runner
William Ash Hammond ... Johnny Smith
Peter Kriss ... Scott
Peter Madden ... Mr. Smith
Philip Martin ... Stacy, Drake House Leader
Arthur Mullard ... Craig
Christopher Parker ... Bill Smith
Robert Percival ... Tory Politician
Anthony Sagar ... Fenton
John Thaw ... Bosworth
Chris Williams ... Public School Boy
more
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Additional Details

Also Known As:

Rebel with a Cause
more

Runtime:

104 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1 more

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Hong Kong:IIA | Finland:S | Sweden:15 | UK:12 (re-rating) (2002) | UK:15 (video rating) (1990) | UK:X (original rating)


Fun Stuff

Trivia:

First film of Julia Foster. more

Quotes:

Brown, House Master: Now when you broke into this, um, what was it...
Colin Smith: Bakery
Brown, House Master: Bakery, yup... what were you thinking about at the time?
Colin Smith: I wasn't thinking about anything, I was too busy breaking in.
more

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Best Man (2005) more


FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
14 out of 16 people found the following comment useful.
The Loveliness of the Black & White Cinema, 2 October 2002
8/10
Author: givnaw from Minnesota, USA

Rambling thoughts: A very good movie, really capturing the sense of futility of lower class British existence. The desolate beauty of gray, cold and damp England comes through in wonderful ranges of color; despite being a black and white film, there is a huge variety of tone in the photography. You can almost smell the wet leaves of the forests and hills, and feel the cold of the morning air as you follow the runners on their daily jogs. England's rich heritage of distance running makes it an apt subject. Distance running, which I do enjoy myself, is primarily a solitary activity, designed for bona-fide introverts, "angry young men", obsessive individuals who do not mind pain, and in some cases, may actually enjoy it. England, with its crummy weather, economy, history and hugely varied terrain, is particularly well-suited to the sport. Courtenay is a treasure; we are so fortunate to still have him around. It is a wonder to gaze upon his youthful gauntness, and then to see how his appearance has evolved over the years. Really sharp viewers will be able to spot a very young Inspector Morse, John Thaw, as one of the young inmates.

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more (34 total)

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Mildly Disappointed - possible spoiler Ed_Zep
The Best British Film Ever? rick_7
Whats that tune? kristienadana
Best of the 'British New Wave' fabGirl
A question (elixir) ccscd212
Quote stevenvh
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